Saturday, March 29...Not much to do for the day except wait for time to pass. Shower, hair poofed, lunch, wait...Finally, 3pm and I'm dressed and waiting for The Hubby to decide on which pants he wants to wear and to tie his tie. We load the Avalanche with bridesmaid dresses, the wedding dress, rings, marriage license, cameras and film, guest books and stuff and make our way to Five Oaks Lodge for the party of the year. We arrive and I fast realize that my shoes are not going to stay on for long. I had to order them to match my dress and I always wear a 7-1/2 but they are too big and there was not another size left in my color. The girls arrive and they look beautiful all done up with their hair and makeup and when they get their dresses on WOW! I must say I produced some beautiful babies. The bridesmaid is an honorary daughter and couldn't be more proud of her but pour girl is three months pregnant and very nauseous. The wedding is not until 6:30 and we are waiting as the photographer takes a million pictures of us all. Unfortunately the weather was not cooperating much for an outdoor wedding but at least there was no rain. We all stood out on the deck overlooking the lake and B and B2 exchanged very sweet vows. Short and sweet. Everyone hurridly rushed in to the reception and the biggest party I've ever thrown. The cake was BEAUTIFUL. Four tiers of green icing that matched the bridesmaids dresses and with cream Mehndi design all over. Beautiful. The food was AWESOME, Catering by Orr and the staff was fabulous. We served Grape Ranch Wine as they met in Okemah at the Woody Guthrie Festival and that is where Grape Ranch Wine is made. The flowers were white spider mums and Bells of Ireland. The centerpieces were very tall vases with one spider mum and a tall sprig of the Bells of Ireland. The boutineres and corsages were Bells of Ireland too. The bridesmaid, maid of honor and brides bouquets were a mix of the mum and bells and B's had a loop that she carried like a purse and underneath was a horseshoe (another tradition). The Hubby was totally right in hiring the DJ as the music was perfect thanks to B. She picked out great dance stuff and everyone had a great time out on the dance floor. We had a guest book table to sign in during the reception and instead of a photo booth that is so very expensive we bought a $159 poloroid camera and lots of film and took pictures and put them by where they signed in a special book. It worked out fabulously. I took a spin on the dance floor with my newly trained husband but that was all he was going to get out of me as my head and feet were killing me and trying to talk to people made my voice non-existent. The couple danced and danced and I was impressed as to their ability. The Hubby danced with both of the girls as they had practice and then he got his very agile and classy 80 year old mother out there and they did the swing and then he dipped her backwards. She just laughed and giggled. It was great. I was so glad to see our family and old friends enjoying themselves. When I was escorted to my seat, as I looked out at my Daddy he started crying and so I started crying and when I sat next to him he started sobbing and saying "my baby". I could hardly contain myself and really didn't. He cried that it was too hard for him and I put my arm around him. He was so missing Momma. He didn't stay too long and didn't drink or eat anything. When he went back to the brides room to see B he hugged and sobbed again crying my baby. She is the first grandchild and the first to get married to it was overwhelming for him. When my Daddy cries I cry. Oh I forgot...when it was time for the newly married couple to leave the vintage Bently arrived and The Hubby got the gargatuan sparklers (over a yard long) ready for everyone to light as they came out and were whisked away for a very short, cheap honeymoon at Price Tower in Bartlesville. It was beautiful and now we can get back to life, get well, and carry on.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

2:25pmOkay, I'm feeling a little better but still no voice. I had my hair done and the make up is done, now all I have to do is wait and get dressed. Good news though...I had to buy two different sizes of the same dress as I knew I could wear the 18 and not sure about the 16 because I was losing weight. This morning I put the 16 on for the umteenth time and lo and behold it slid down over my hips and fit. The 18 now is huge on me! I'm very excited and thank God for spanx.

Here is a pic of my french twist. The Hubby calls it a beehive but I gave him the evil eye. He's really grating on my nerves. He keeps asking if we have done this and that and who's doing this and that. I keep telling him we have everything covered and he needs to BUTT OUT! He's being very emotional and is now writing his toast. He's having a little bit of a hard time that it is his little girl. He so loves his girls. (I hear him in the den practicing his dance moves.)

Here it is, The Big Day, and I'm SICK!!!!! I absolutely have no voice, well I have a voice but it is a squeak. I guess last night at the rehearsal dinner I talked too much on a voice that was only half there as it was. I don't really feel bad but I'm a mouth breather today and that is so sexy, my voice is squeaky and I am "sucking" as The Hubby calls it (trying not too.) This is what I looked like at 5 am as that is when my stupid eyes opened this morning. My hair appointment was at 10 and the wedding at 6:30 so I really didn't need to be up but of course I was. Dadgummit!

Friday, March 28, 2008

Tomorrow is the big day. Tonight was the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner, the dinner at our house. I'm pooped. It doesn't help that I am SICK! I feel terrible an absolutely have no voice. I can't believe it is almost here. Tonight was fun. I loved seeing all of B's friends and visiting them. My kiddos bring such special people into their lives and share them with us. It is very nice.

2 days until the big day. I can't believe it and on top of it all A and I are sick. I think mine is allergies but crap! Tonight the wedding party girls are having Mehndi done one our feet for the wedding. Mehndi is: If you are confused, no my daughter is not from India but her wedding in incorporating worldly wedding traditions. Mehndi on our feet, a horseshoe in her bridal bouquet, a Cherokee blessing, the Methodist blessing that she said after all her youth groups, people surrounding the couple's first dance in the shape of a heart, and some more that my clogged head can't seem to remember. Things are moving fast. I've had my nails done, my hair today (color and cut) and the house is getting cleaned today for the rehersal dinner tomorrow night. Thank goodness I'm not cooking...potluck!

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

1:30 am I can't breathe. It is allergies but is morphing into a sinus infection which I have not had for years. I am going to have to call my doctor in the morning and either get in or have something called. The stress of all the wedding stuff and this yuck I called and rescheduled the colonoscopy to the end of the month. I'm starving right now, absolutely starving! May have to eat something...a cup of hot tea, maybe that will curb it. A is up too as she has been sick since she hit the ground at Tulsa International, damn flowers and pollen. I'm not working out tomorrow and I know The Hubby will look crossways at me but I don't care, I CAN'T BREATHE!

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Here it is the final week before the wedding and I think I'm getting sick. My head is stuffy my sinuses are draining and I'm starting a small headache signaling a possible head cold. I don't have time in my life for this. I hope that it is nothing but allergies. The problem if I am getting sick is that April 1 I am having my first ever colonoscopy and I can't take ibuprofen or med's for the headache. Not good. This morning at workout I could hardly finish. Last night I walked 2.2 miles with my walking group and I think my body has had it. Maybe last night with the wind that was blowing so very hard it just kicked up my allergies on the walk.

I've been trying to get hold of my "best" friend for a couple of days now because she wanted to have lunch with me this week, today, because it is my only free day because of the wedding stuff. Well, I have called and left several messages with no response. I called her home phone and was surprised to find out it was disconnected. I called her husbands office and asked one of their office people and they said, "Oh yeah they disconnected it a few weeks ago because no called on it and no one ever answered it." I call on it and have been for a bit. So I sit and wait today to hear if I will have my usual Slim Fast or eat at Wild Fork for lunch. Again, I'm left hanging in the wind but I'm prepared with the Slim Fast at least.

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Yes it is true I am now a walker. I just got back from walking at LaFortune Park with a friend the full 3 miles. I can't believe it and I feel great. I'm really doin' this thing and enjoying it although I will be a fairweather walker. I hate the cold and won't be doing that during the snow or rain but this is great.

It is a beautiful day and I have been tooling around in my cute little red car with the top down. What a glorious day. I have the day off and I'm totally enjoying it. The bird feeders are full of birds and I'm enjoying watching and listening to them.

I got on the scale this morning and I'm down another 2 pounds so that makes the total so far 12 pounds. YEE HAW! I'm so very stoked but I realized I'm not eating enough food. I really already knew that but I'm on a tear to make a dent in it before the wedding then I'll get a little more sensible. I have joined a website called Spark People and it allows me to track my exercise and my food. Great website and has lots of help. Check it out at www.sparkpeople.com .

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Oh my goodness...my feet, my aching feet and my shins, and my quads, and my everything. Today is the end of the third week of my walking program and I'm still in it. The walk today was a different route and the coach said it was 1.85 miles but my little ole' pedometer clicked off 2.9 miles. Most of the walk was up 61st to the West which driving it doesn't seem like a hill but IT IS, trust me. We turned into the neighborhood behind Kirk of the Hills church and the last part of the name there is an indication of the rest of the walk...HILLS! Yup, I hurt. Last week I told The Hubby that from now on Monday and Thursday he is in charge of the dinner as I'm not coming home from the walk and try to cook. Tonight he had blackened steaks, oven fried potatoes, spinach and tomatoes. Yum and I didn't have to even clean up.

Today I put the wedding announcement in the mail for the paper so it Should come out in the Sunday paper March 30. Everyone watch out for it.

Oh gosh I'm so tired I can't even put words down here. I have to at least stay awake till 9 pm to catch who gets voted off the Supermodel show.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

For some reason I'm at a loss for words to put into "print". It must be the anticipation of the wedding a week from Friday. I can't believe it is almost here. We are now down to the final crunch. I paid for the cake yesterday. Tomorrow we pay for the DJ. The caterer and the place we pay after the fact. The dress is hanging in our guest bedroom waiting to be official. I just can't believe it is here so soon. I am uploading a few of the engagement pictures they took. They are so very cute together and they are both so in love with each othere. A comes home on Saturday evening and it will be very busy after that. Enjoy...

Monday, March 17, 2008

Tonight I officially walked in the St. Patrick's Day Dash. Woo Hoo. 2 miles down. My feet hurt, hurt, hurt. Another good thing is one the ladies that joined our group tonight I KNOW! Yeah. I have a friend to pass the time as I plod along on the asphalt trying to walk off some more fat. Thursday we do it all over again. My feet hurt.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

I am here sitting in my big comfy chair totally enjoying the quiet of my home. The Hubby has gone to his big toy box (the auto mechanic's garage he bought) to do some more clean up and ready to sell more stuff. We we went to the lake on Friday and had a nice quiet evening in front of the television but quickly hit the pillows about 9 pm. We were beat. About 10:30 I was awakened by tremendous thunder and lightening and lots of blowing rain. The Hubby had opened a window above my head which was fine till the blowing rain came in on my head. I shut it but later reopened it when the clang and clatter had stopped. I did another run/walk Saturday morning and boy was it chilly for a bit. This week I have successfully walked and ran around 5 miles. I'm going to pat myself on my back because for me that is something. Now don't get me wrong I have been doing Jazzercise for over 11 years 5 days a week, but to actually walk and RUN is a biggie.

We had to come back yesterday afternoon to attend an impromptu dinner of burgers at B & B2's. B2's father, brother and sister (her kiddo's and hubby) were all in attendance. We' only met the bro and father once so since the wedding is in two weeks it was time. This wedding is going to be very hard on Richard (B2's father) and all as his wife passed a year ago. They were ALL drinking a lot of beer and so the emotions were on the surface last night. Richard turned to B and told her that this was going to be very hard on him and that he was proud of her and that "Sandra" would be too and really liked B. The tears started welling up in his eyes and I saw B's and B2's and the brother too. Oh No... please no not tears. We had fun last night with a lot of stories and laughs but home we headed about 10pm. We just can't seem to stay up late anymore since we rise at 5 am.

I've been sitting here listening to some World music and it puts me into a thoughtful frame of mind. I want to type or write or something but my thoughts are so scrambled that I have a hard time putting one particular one down because it causes me to go off in a totally different direction. Sometimes I find myself saying out loud the end of a thought in my head to B or The Hubby and the look at me like I'm crazy. I have a whole conversation or thought process going on internally and then finish it verbally. Sometimes I wish I would plug my computer directly into my mind and let my mind type out my thoughts. I think it would be pretty scary what whirls around up there in my noggin. So for those few who do read this blog you will be blessed to read these random thoughts and I hope they can make some sense to someone. Just enjoy and go with the flow!!!!!!

The last I blogged here I was at 9 pounds lost, well, I'm glad to announce that as of Friday it was 10 pounds. I have not been this weight in over 20+ years. I'm very stoked by my desire to continue on my quest this time. To top off the 10 pounds I broke a small zero, not the big one but that will come in time. I walked with my walking group Monday 1.5 miles, then again on Thursday. Yesterday I again walked and ran at the lake about 2 miles. Tomorrow I am supposed to walk for a St. Patrick's walk, 2 miles, but the forecast is 90% chance of rain and I'm sort of a fair weather walker. We'll just have to see. I know that if I choose to not walk The Hubby will give me grief and looks. He is so afraid I am going to stop and is kind of watching me out of the corner of his eye. Makes me very angry. Lately I've been very perturbed at him with his little comments. I made the statement about being at the back of the pack of my walking group but I'm working as fast as my legs can work and at a very steady pace. He said, "Well, when you lose more weight you'll move faster." That is not the point my dear. My legs are very, very short and so my stride is very short, hence the back of the pack and probably will always be at the back of the pack. I have to face the fact that he is coming at this whole thing with a skinny person brain and I come into it with a fat person brain. They are so very different in their preception of weight, food, exercise, trust me I live it I know. Enough of him. I will proceed the way I want too!

The wedding is two weeks away and we are plodding along nicely. I think we have to pay for the cake and part of the caterer this week and get the announcement in the paper too. She won't let me put the picture in the paper, Rats! Next weekend A comes into town and I can't wait to see her. She seems to be doing very well in California now. She's teaching music to various students, piano, voice and guitar and Loves it. I'm proud of her on sticking to what she wants in life and trying to attain it. Good girl!

Tomorrow The Hubby and I meet with a financial planner. YUCK! The Hubby has decided we need to make more money on our money, make sure we are where we need to be so when we retire or sell the business we will be comfortable. I totally agree but I hate to talk money with him because then he might question "any" of my spending and I draw the line. I do not go shopping and just blow wads of cash contrary to what his perception of my handling of the money goes. He trusts me to manage the money at the office and I do quite well with that and I manage all our money at home and do well with that. I just hate to be put under the microscope. It has taken me a month to gather up all the stuff I needed: 3 years of tax returns, business and personal; monies in the bank in various accounts; properties and the taxes paid; wills, trusts, life insurance, health insurance, etc. I have a HUGE stack of stuff to take there on Monday. I am kind of dreading it but kind of excited to know where we are. One of the things I had to do though was...shhhh...I have been playing at the stock market a little for about 4 or 5 years and since we had to bring all financial records I decided I had better cash out, rats. It was okay as I was losing money at the moment and it couldn't hurt having a little loss right now. It wasn't much, only about $2300 but I was having fun with it but had gotten bored. When I first started it one of the stocks I bought went up from $50 to 1850. I sold that one very quick and it was a good thing because it went down again and has not been up like that again. Very nice return.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

So far I'm down 9 pounds and have broken a zero. It's not the all important zero yet it is a zero. After years of not moving the scale I'm thrilled by my progress. Last night I went out with a few of my girlfriends at Kilkenny's and after a day of Slim Fast I was HUNGRYYYYY. I arrived first and ordered a beer (planned on that) then read the menu making my mouth salivate. I was 10 minutes early so I had a lot of time to sit in the booth and read and read all the delicious food. Whew, I was on the verge of being a very bad girl. In the end I was good. I ordered charbroiled salmon and vegetables with rice pilaf. I did have another beer and did partake in a little of the appetizers but all in all I was a good girl.

Saturday, March 08, 2008

It's a beautiful sunny day outside as I sit here in my room. The rays of the sun are warming my body as I relax in my awesome chair listening to a Pottery Barn CD called "Music to Soothe the Soul" but I know that it is only the illusion of warmth as I have ventured out to get the paper and feed the birds and was shocked by the cold. I had the brief thought of taking a walk but thought better of it. Yikes! I so hate the cold. I know I need to get out there and walk but I don't want my joints to get cold and sore. I think tomorrow will be a better day or even later this evening.

Today is the shower. My house is clean and I am just waiting. I need to take a shower and get spiffed up for the occassion. The Hubby has left to visit the flea market and then to the office for work, work, work. That means my desk will be piled high with invoices to type on Monday morning. Good, I'll have something to do.

I'm a little apprehensive today as my best friend will be at the shower and I have only seen her twice since November! I've spoken to her probably four times since then too. I know it is a very wierd relationship to call it best friends but when we do get together we have a pretty good time for the most part. I'm lonely. I miss my other best friend Gail. This week she has been gone from this earthly plane for two years now. I miss her still and will for a good long time.

Friday, March 07, 2008

Yesterday I took a dance lesson with The Hubby. I found out by accident that he had been taking private lessons for a few weeks. He wants to dance really well at his daughters wedding. I found out when he called me into the den where his computer is and there on the screen was an email with a very familiar name. It was a girls name that I recognized of a little girl I used to babysit. I immediately asked about it and he very quickly told me that I wasn't supposed to see that and put his hand up. Excuse me! I was halted in place right there. He then told me that he found her on the Internet and all about the private lessons. Okay that is fine and it was wonderful to see her after 35+ years, yes I said 35+ years. Yesterday he wanted me to go with him and dance. I did. Let me explain that The Hubby LOVES to dance and LOVES music but the poor guy has 5 left feet and his no sense of rhythm. I've been doing Jazzercise for 11 years now and that is basically dance so the lesson was very easy for me. He wants SO very badly to get it down but inside I wanted to burst out giggling. We did okay and we go back next week.

Now on to the wedding plans. The RSVP's are coming in pretty steadily and we are up to about 130 acceptances. She sent out over 200 and was freaked out that all of them would come but I think we will be alright. Actually B2's family has not even sent the RSVP's back except one so that could be where we pick up people. We're fine on it all though. Oh and the kink that has been thrown into the wedding plans was where the dance thing came in. B did not want a DJ mostly because she was trying so very hard to stay within the budget we gave her and the space constraints and because she has some really different music she wants played, and she was making her own CD's to be played. Now mind you the wedding is March 29 and we are at crunch time. The Hubby came into the office on Monday and pointed a finger at her and told her he wanted to have a DJ there and don't worry about the cost and then left the office. She sat there with her mouth hanging open and tears in her eyes. I tried to talk to The Hubby to let him know that we might not be able to pull that off but he was pretty insistent. Today B was able to get it together and find a DJ and you know I think she is a little relieved as she was having no time to get all the music together. She has been so very stressed and then a couple of weeks ago the judge that was to perform the ceremony (my friend) had to beg off but promised that she would make it right as we were at the end. Finally, TODAY she came through and set it up for us. Whew! Tomorrow is the last bridal shower and her friend asked if they could have it here so tomorrow we will have a house full of giggling young ladies. It's fine though because I don't have to do anything but have the house clean and it is done already.

Monday, March 03, 2008

I'm just a little bugged by The Hubby. You see with this new energy I have to add the extra workout to my life has given The Hubby another chance to butt into "my life." I know he is my husband but give me a break. We live together and work together I need my own space and my own body is my own body. Today is the first time my walking program is going to meet. They told us that we will walk no matter what except ice and lightening. That's okay with me, even though I HATE the winter and snow and cold and guess what today is like here, YUCKY weather, cold and snow. The Hubby is concerned that I won't go to the walking gig and I looked at him like he was nuts. Of course I am going to. He thinks that because it is icky outside that I'm not going to follow through but I am and he needs to but out! He's so very excited that I'm upping my workout plan and not eating that he can hardly control his excitement. It's kind of pissing me off, not kind of it is! I know he wants to help but back off!

I feel better now...now some more news and I'm not sure how I'm dealing with it. I have written about my dear, dear friend Gail that passed away very suddenly at the age of 49 years old. Tomorrow will be 2 years since she has left the world as we know it. It has been very difficult on me and I am just now getting to the point of not crying when talking about her. I miss her tremendously. Anyway, her husband Kelly and The Hubby have been best friends since they were toddlers and The Hubby got the bright idea of fixing him up with one of their high school classmates. I have fought it for awhile as "I" was not ready for Kelly to move on in that regard even though I know he must. A few weeks ago we all went out to dinner and had a great time and ever since then their relationship has exploded. The Hubby is so happy he is grinning ear-to-ear most of the time. He thinks his buddy Kelly's thingy is going to fall off if he doesn't get "happy" soon so he is on a mission. (Men and what they think with, I mean.) Last night who should show up at our door but Kelly and Bev. I was glad to see them. They bounded into the house and she was absolutely giggling. They plopped down on the couch and were wrapped around each other like high school kids. I was very uncomfortable, very uncomfortable. We decided to go out to a quick dinner and after dinner they were holding hands under the table. After dinner we got into our car and I noticed they were in Kelly's car KISSING! OH MY GOD! I'm not ready for this. I am very happy for them but it is a little creepy for me. I'll get over it but ugh (shiver).

One other quick note...does anyone read this blog. Please let me know with a quick comment like "yes". I would like to know someone besides me reads this thing. I feel alone out in the world sometimes, just typing in thin air here. Pardon me I must be PMSing...I hope not though.

Sunday, March 02, 2008

I have a lot of exciting news and updates. First of all I'm down 7-1/2 pounds as of Friday morning. To go along with that is I've joined a 12 week walking program that starts tomorrow (Monday). I will walk two times a week with this group and then am supposed to add one on the weekend, so three times a week I am to walk. The goal is to walk the Maple Ridge Walk on Memorial Day which is a 5K (3.1 mile). I am really pumped. I have new running shoes and a lot of excitement on my new endeavor. Last weekend I walked at the lake but Saturday I really put some foot time in. It was such a beautiful day and I couldn't wait to get out. I made sure I packed my workout clothes, my new running shoes and my I-Pod and so was ready! It was tempting to just say no and relax in the hammock but I didn't. I walked from our cabin to the boat docks, and back, then up a very steep road and to the front gate then back to the cabin. In fact, not only did I walk but I ran a good part of the excursion and am today very sore. When I left today I got into my car and drove the route so I could know how far I walked and ran and amazingly it was a tad over 2 miles! WHAT, me run, well yes I certainly did and it was beautiful. I have never been much of an exercise person until I started Jazzercise 11 years ago and now I will be a walker and possibly a partial runner plus I bowl once a week! It was a moving experience for me to realize what I had accomplished. I'm very happy. Of course last night I may have blown it a bit as we had a fondu dinner at the neighbors house with a few people in attendance. It was great fun and I enjoyed a few glasses of wine, a shot of tequila and to top off the evening three glasses of chocolate martini's. Yeah, I made my offerings to the porcelain gods last night but really don't feel too bad today. No headache, just a little queasy this morning. Tomorrow night I have to feel better for the first walking class.

Here are a few pictures I took of Spring trying to make an appearance and my time in the hammock!

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BLOGIVERSARY counting down to 11 years!

About Me

I am a mother, wife, friend, sister, partner in business (w/hubby), daughter, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, mother-in-law, GRANDMOTHER, all of these things I am, I'm very happy with my life and would not change any of it.I'm an empty nester with a fabuluous hubby who I work with. We live in the midwest and have for our whole lives which is just fine with me. I love my home, my kids, my hubby, my life. Life has been good to me. Jill of all Trades comes from the problem I have. I can do numerous things really well but I'm not perfect and when I become bored with whatever I'm doing/working on I move on to the next project/task. I might be a little ADD or it could be the Gemini in me...whatever.... P.S. I am now counting myself an artist!